Dissertation Development and Research Support Coordinator

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Full Time Kansas City, MO, US

The Dissertation Development and Research Support Coordinator provides academic leadership, faculty mentorship, research consultation, and quality assurance across the dissertation process. The Coordinator supports faculty serving as Dissertation Chairs and provides candidates and chairs with guidance on research design, methodology, analysis, and ethical research practice. This role promotes consistent scholarly standards, strengthens faculty capacity, and supports timely progression through dissertation milestones.

The Coordinator serves as a program-wide resource, supplementing the work of faculty advisors and dissertation chairs and committees. This is a full-time faculty administrator position with faculty rank.

• Mentor and support faculty serving as Dissertation Chairs, particularly new and first-time chairs.
• Provide guidance on dissertation supervision, substantive feedback, candidate progression, and milestone management.
• Facilitate professional development related to dissertation advising, research methodology, ethical practice, and scholarly standards.
• Help chairs identify appropriate methodological expertise for a candidate’s dissertation committee or for targeted consultation.
• Provide consultation to candidates and chairs on research questions, design, methods, data collection, analysis plans, and interpretation of findings.
• Assist candidates in evaluating the feasibility and scope of proposed project-based dissertations in coordination with their Faculty Advisor or Dissertation Chair.
• Support chairs and candidates in identifying appropriate research resources, tools, and specialized expertise.
• Refer methodological or subject-matter questions beyond the Coordinator’s expertise to a qualified specialist, as needed.
• Guide candidates and chairs in understanding research ethics and preparing for IRB review, while recognizing that formal IRB determinations rest with the appropriate institutional body.
• Promote consistency in dissertation expectations, evaluation criteria, and scholarly rigor across Dissertation Chairs and committees.
• Review dissertation proposals or drafts as needed to advise on alignment with program standards and identify areas requiring further attention by the Chair and committee.
• Advise chairs on addressing common dissertation challenges involving scope, methodology, candidate readiness, or the coherence of the project.
• Contribute to consistent use and refinement of dissertation policies, templates, rubrics, and assessment tools.
• Assist with program-level coordination related to dissertation enrollment, milestones, review processes, and completion timelines.
• Monitor patterns in candidate progression and dissertation completion to identify support needs and opportunities for program improvement.
• Provide feedback to the Ph.D. Program Director regarding dissertation processes, faculty workload, methodological support needs, and resource requirements.
• Serve as a consultative resource when chairs encounter complex methodological, ethical, or progress-related issues.
• Support chairs in navigating IRB institutional research policies and dissertation procedures.
• Assist the Ph.D. Program Director and chairs in addressing concerns related to candidate progress, timeline delays, or academic standards.
• Collaborate with the Program Director, Faculty Advisors, Dissertation Chairs, committee members, and academic leadership to ensure coherent support across dissertation stages.
• Communicate research support opportunities and dissertation…